


Show Me Love

by magikatherine



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Falling In Love, Hogwarts Head Boys & Head Girls, Inspired by Music, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-15
Updated: 2019-03-15
Packaged: 2019-11-18 09:19:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18117860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magikatherine/pseuds/magikatherine
Summary: James Potter and Lily Evans have been made Head Boy and Head Girl of Hogwarts. Their new living quarters and shared responsibilities makes it hard for them to avoid each other, but Lily's resolved to be mature and James... well, who knows what's going on in James' head. This is a story of how one year changed the lives of the Head Boy and Head Girl from the class of 1978.





	1. Chapter 1 - Lily's POV

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first work on this site and I wrote this when I was really young, so please don't be too harsh!

Lily Evans would’ve properly skipped down the corridor if she hadn’t been focusing on levitating her trunk, but she did her best. If it wasn't obvious, Lily was happy. Very happy. She stood in front of the ordinary looking door, and firmly said “Treacle Tart.” The door opened. And there it was. The Head’s common room. The common room that, for this year, was hers. Or half hers. She was sharing it with the Head Boy. She didn’t have time to wonder who the Head Boy was, because she had just spotted the door with a plaque saying ‘Head Girl’ on it.

She pushed the door ajar, and squealed. Yes, that’s right, squealed. Lily Evans didn’t squeal. She shook her head… and then ran into the room and jumped on the bed. Because despite her sensible, responsible, and sometimes strict mask that she wore in the presence of teachers and any students except her friends, Lily Evans was still a humorous, awkward, occasionally childish, standard teenager. She was normal. Well, apart from the fact that she was a witch. But, other than that, normal. And this year, she was Head Girl at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, which was why she was here early on the 1st September. Dumbledore had asked her to floo to Hogwarts rather than taking the Hogwarts’ Express so she could put away her things.

So Lily, as an extremely talented young witch, simply waved her wand and watched as her trunk’s contents put itself away where she instructed it to in her head. Satisfied, Lily then took off her backpack and arranged three photographs that she had taken from it on her new dressing table.

One had been taken by her parents nine years before, and it featured Lily and her sister Petunia hugging tightly. There was no pretending in that photo, for it had been taken before Lily had met Severus. Severus Snape featured in the next photo, another muggle one, taken four years after the first by a reluctant Petunia. Lily and Severus had just finished their first term as Second Years, and Snape was spending Christmas in the Evans’ house. He, Lily and Mr and Mrs Evans were gathered round a brightly decorated Christmas tree in the front room of Lily’s house, and they were all smiling merrily into the camera.

The final frame held the only moving, magical picture, and it had been taken about 2 months ago, by the lake. The 6th Year Gryffindors had just finished their end of year exams, and were all laughing happily, the stress that they’d been feeling for weeks lifted off their shoulders. Lily loved this particular photo because even though they had all known that the war was approaching fast, they still grinned, arms around each other, supportive, the lights in the darkness. Lily sighed contentedly.

She then removed her diary from her bag. This was probably the most precious item that she had brought with her. It contained things that she had never admitted to anyone else. For this reason, she decided to cast a special charm on the drawer that she put it in. Now only her touch could open the drawer and access what could basically be described as her whole mind on paper.

After looking round once again and checking that it was perfect, Lily decided to do some investigating. She closed the door behind her as she walked out of her new bedroom, and tiptoed over to the door displaying a ‘Head Boy’ plaque. She pressed her ear to the door and didn’t hear anything, but, just to be safe, she whispered “Homenum Revelio” to see if anyone was in there. No-one was. She cautiously opened the door and looked around. The room appeared to be exactly the same as hers. The Head Boy had obviously visited, because his trunk was under the bed. Lily was surprised at how neat the room was, but it pleased her too. Surely neat boys were nice, kind, smart people?

She thought about nice male prefects. There was Andrew Fenton, from Ravenclaw. Lots of people had thought that he would be Head Boy that year, although most of those were girls who fancied him. Then there was Remus Lupin, a lovely boy and one of Lily’s good friends, despite his allegiance to Hogwarts’ ‘bad boy’ group, the Marauders.

Oh, the Marauders. Everyone at Hogwarts knew how Lily felt about them. She was famous at the school for hating them, especially their leader James Potter, who constantly asked her out. Well, used to constantly ask her out. Since they had returned from Christmas break in their 6th Year, he hadn’t as much. And when, in June, he started going out with Millie Morris, a Hufflepuff, he had stopped completely. Lily didn’t miss it. Not at all. Well, only a tiny bit. She missed coming up with insults for him, although if she tried to come up with one now it wouldn’t be strong. And she was happy for him and Millie. At least that’s what she’d said to her best friends Marlene McKinnon and Alice Fortescue when they’d caught her staring and had asked her about it.

Lily was disturbed from her thoughts when she heard footsteps approaching. She couldn’t walk back the way she came because then she’d have to explain to the Head Boy why she was in his bedroom, which would be embarrassing, and, although she hated to say it, bad for her reputation. (When had she gained that extra ego? Potter pollution, probably.) She saw a door in the corner, so she ran to it thinking that when she opened it she’d find a cupboard to hide in. However, she actually ended up in a magnificent bathroom. She turned on the spot, taking it in. Then she realised that there was a door leading the other way too. She opened it and saw her own bedroom. She was to be sharing a bathroom with a boy! A little shaken from the close shave, Lily decided to take a run around the grounds. She’d been doing daily jogs all summer, and didn’t want to lose the progress that she’d made. It would also calm her down, which right now, being rather flustered, she needed.

On her way down the corridor, she literally bumped into Sirius Black, James’ best friend and fellow Marauder, and Hogwarts’ hottest boy.  
“Hey Lils.” He grinned, steadying her.  
“Evans.” She scowled – only her close friends and family could call her Lils– before remembering how she’d vowed to herself to be a bit easier on the Marauders in their final year. She sighed, and nodded slightly at him. “Black.”

A thought then crossed her mind. “Sirius, why are you going up there? That corridor only leads to the head’s rooms. Wait. You’re not…”  
“Merlin, no!” laughed Sirius, “Imagine me as Head Boy!”  
Lily visibly relaxed. “So… why are you heading that way?”  
“Um…” Sirius shuffled uncomfortably. “Well, I got called to the school early and…” He smiled sheepishly.  
“Let me guess – it’s a prank.” Lily said.  
“You won’t tell will you?” pleaded Sirius.  
“No. I’m in a good enough mood not to stop a back to Hogwarts prank, even one on the new Head Boy.” She smiled slightly.  
Sirius opened his mouth as if to say something, then seemed to think better of it.  
“Well, see you around Black” she said, and headed outside, not noticing the slight smirk playing at his lips.

An hour later, a sweaty Lily returned from 5 laps of the grounds. She showered – with her favourite strawberry body wash and shampoo – in her new bathroom. She sighed happily as she stepped out of the shower – could her life get any more perfect?

Wrapping a towel loosely around herself, she opened the door to her room. She stopped dead. She couldn’t move. She’d obviously gone through the wrong door, because Sirius was in there. And it was clear he was planning a prank, not playing one, because next to him, staring at Lily’s loose towel and wet hair and body, and wearing the Head Boy badge, was James Potter.


	2. Chapter 2 - James' POV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot shorter than the first chapter, but this may now be the standard length - oops!

James Potter, the new Head Boy of Hogwarts, looked up as he heard someone stumble into his room. His heart gave a little jerk as he realised it was Lily. His jaw became slightly slack as he took in her wet appearance. Her mouth was slightly open in shock too. She seemed to be struggling to find words.

Finally she was able to speak: “Oh, er… hi, James?” she tried.  
“Hi…” he breathed.  
“You’re Head Boy.” She said bluntly. She hitched up the towel.  
“Yeah…. And you’re Head Girl.”  
“Yeah….Er…. What’s Sirius doing here? Did the letter say we could bring friends?”  
“Ah, well, Sirius is more than a friend really….” Lily stared at him, eyebrow raised confusedly. “No, no, not like that!” James quickly amended. “I mean, well, he’s like my brother.”  
“Yeah!” Sirius finally spoke. “Bros, right?” Sirius raised his fist, obviously wanting James to fist bump him.  
James tried to stifle his laughter. Sirius had the worst timing ever. He could never tell when something was needed in a conversation or when, like now, it wasn’t.

Lily was now more perplexed. “But… the girls are like sisters to me. Are you saying that I could’ve brought them?”  
“Well, no.” James ran his hand through his hair. “Maybe I worded it wrong… Padfoot, a little help explaining?” He looked over to Sirius.  
“Yeah, alright. Basically, Effie – That’s my nickname for James’s mum by the way – didn’t want to make the journey to King’s Cross if it was only me who was going. It would have been a waste of a trip, see?”

Lily obviously wasn’t any closer to understanding. “But… what does James’s mum have to do with you?” she asked.  
“Everything!” Sirius exclaimed. “She’s my mum as much as James’s. That’s why she didn’t see the point in an unneeded journey!”  
“Your mum as much as James’s…” Lily murmured. “What do you mean?”  
“Can I tell her Pads?” James asked Sirius under his breath.  
“Sure. She’s a friend, right?” Sirius replied in a voice a little louder than a whisper. Lily didn’t seem to know whether to be confused, surprised or pleased at being called a friend of the boys.  
“Right” James turned back to face the witch, just as her towel slipped down quite significantly. He quickly looked to the floor. When he moved his head back to look at Lily again, she was blushing furiously. “So… you can’t tell anyone this, okay Evans?” Lily nodded, so James continued. “You may have heard about Sirius’s family’s reputation. They’re not nice people. They support the dark arts. And, as you might guess, they weren’t happy to have their heir in Gryffindor. Last summer, he stuck up for his cousin Andromeda, who married a muggle a few years back and now has a child. His mother used the cruciatus curse on him.”  
Lily gasped.  
“I know.” James continued. “He ran away to my house after that. I guess it was his second home already. My mum always welcomed him like a son when he came round. And she did this time to, because, well, now he kind of is her son.”

James finally stopped speaking and looked Lily in the eye.  
Sirius, boisterous as ever, stared at her too and demanded “Well? Are you going to say anything?”  
Lily looked at him. She had her small hand covering her mouth. “I’m so sorry Sirius. I truly am. I thought my family was bad, but you have it much worse. I’m really sorry.”  
Sirius looked stricken. He coughed. “Nah… it’s alright.” He threw a panicked look to James.  
James took a while to decide what to say. “Evans?” He asked tentatively. Lily sniffled as she looked at him. “Would… would it be strange if I gave you a hug right now?”  
Lily thought for a moment. “Now – yes. Because I’m in a towel. I think I need to get changed. If you’ll excuse me…” She shuffled out of the room.

“Wow.” said Sirius. “I wonder what’s so bad about her family...”  
James didn’t answer. A huge grin was spreading over his face.  
“Uh, Prongs?” Sirius waved his hand in front of James’ face. “Oh! She said she wouldn’t hug you now, but that doesn’t mean she won’t later! Well done mate!” He lifted his hand, and James high fived him, then turned to him and spoke.  
“It’s not just that, although I’m super pleased about it.”  
“Then, what?” questioned Sirius.  
James smile got even bigger, if that was possible. “She called me James.”


	3. Chapter 3 - Lily's POV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot of dialogue here, but hopefully their characters come through? There are elements I am undecided on at the moment so hopefully their conversation makes enough sense!

Sitting on her new bed, Lily pulled out her diary… then paused. Not even writing could unjumble her confused thoughts. Instead, she thumbed through the previous entries, smiling and sighing as she remembered the days she'd written about. And that was how she stayed until she heard a small knock on her door a few hours later.   
“Come in!” Lily called. She stretched, sat up and almost ran a hand through her hair before mentally slapping herself for being like James. He must be rubbing off on her. That wouldn't do.

While these thoughts had been going through her mind, the door had opened, revealing Marlene McKinnon and Alice Fortescue, both grinning madly. For the second time that day, Lily squealed, and launched herself off the bed into their open arms. She felt tears pricking her eyes as she received the much needed squeeze she'd been waiting for.

“You okay girl?” Marlene asked, pushing Lily back to give her a once-over.   
Lily knew better than to lie to her best friends; they knew her too well. “Kind of….” She sighed.  
Alice led them over to the bed. “Spill.”  
Lily was just about to tell them everything about James being Head Boy and not being teasing or annoying and looking… well, she might not go into that part - when Marlene coughed guiltily.   
“I'm so sorry hun, but you're needed for the feast. We were sent to get you.”  
Lily jumped up in surprise. “What! Why didn’t you tell me straight away?”  
Casting a neatening charm on herself, she grabbed the other two by the wrists and fled towards the Great Hall, gabbling about how she'd been reading her old diary entries and had lost track of time. 

When they reached the giant oak doors, Lily let go of the girls and crashed into the Great Hall; she skidded to a bench and plonked herself down into a seat. Professor Mcgonagall stared at her in bewilderment. Lily realised that she, the Head Girl, the one who should be setting an example to the rest of the school, had just interrupted this year's Sorting Ceremony. Her whole face flushed bright red, and then scarlett when she turned to see who she'd sat down next to in her hurry. James Potter. He smirked. “Late, are we Evans?”  
“You wish, Potter.”  
James snorted.   
Lily smiled a bit too. “Ok, yes. But you could've knocked for me!”  
James stared at her. “Seriously?”  
“Umm… yeah? You live next door to me!”  
“Oh! I guess I do!”  
Lily laughed at that and after a second James chuckled too.

By this time the food had appeared on the tables and Lily tucked in, realising only now that she’d forgotten to have lunch. Her run had made her ravenous and she started scoffing food - she didn’t even care what Potter thought. Soon their last ever welcoming feast was over and Dumbledore was sending them up to bed. Lily hardly had time to reflect on her time at the school as she had thought she would do at this point; Remus was calling for the Gryffindor first years, to show them the way to their dorms as prefect, and Sirius, Peter, Alice and Marlene were all heading up to the Gryffindor common room, leaving Lily walking to her new living space with James. 

They wandered though the Hogwarts halls at a meandering pace; James seemed to know every aspect of the castle like the back of his hand. Stepping onto a moving staircase with her, the dark haired boy coughed to clear the quiet. “So, Lily, how was your summer?”  
Lily looked up at him in surprise; she had thought that the walk up to the Heads’ rooms would be silent. But this was James Potter she was thinking about here, he always found a way to begin a conversation with her.  
“Oh… alright I guess. My sister got married to this awful whale of a man who only talks about his boring job in a drill company. I was so tempted to charm him to do something stupid at the ceremony, but I think he could manage that all on his own. He forgot half the stuff he had to do and kept thinking he had to ‘kiss the bride’ every five minutes!”  
James laughed. “What's your sister like?”  
Lily's face fell. “Er… Tuney - that's my sister, Petunia - has never really recovered from the fact that I'm a witch and she's not. We used to be so close, but now….” She suddenly realised that she might have said too much. What about your summer, Potter?”

“It was really good! I flew a lot in the garden, and we went to Diagon Alley a couple of times. Sirius also took me round muggle London, as he knows it well, so we had a few days out there. We met up with the other boys at Remus’ house in Wales for the full… celebrations of finishing sixth year.” James stumbled over his words a little but continued his stream of anecdotes. “It rained a lot there but it was actually a lot of fun. Probably the best part though was Dad taking me and Sirius to Bulgaria for the Quidditch World Cup. The crowd in the Quintivere was massive. The Quintivere is what they call the stadium there by the way. Anyway, it was the USA vs China and the game was so close. It was early morning by the time the match was over and China won, but during the night they put on these really powerful floodlights and at some point someone charmed them to be multicoloured so it was like a disco!” James paused for breath. 

Lily was laughing. “Sounds like you had an amazing time! I've always wanted to go to the world cup.”   
“You follow quidditch?” James sounded shocked.  
“Not really, I've never been to a game… I meant football - it's a muggle sport” she added quickly, seeing James’ face.  
He stared at her. “You've NEVER seen a game if quidditch? In your whole LIFE?!” His voice went up practically an octave.  
Lily was suppressing her hysterics. She shook her head minutely.  
James seemed lost for words. “But… but I'm quidditch captain!” he finally stuttered incredulously.  
She looked him in the eye, a mischievous look on her face. “And?”  
James spluttered. “And, well… I have a really good team put together and they play so well and we actually quite often win!”  
Lily gave him a look. “Nothing about you looking bloody gorgeous on a quidditch pitch?”  
“You really think so Evans? Thank you!” James quipped back.  
Lily flushed red. “You know that's not what I meant, Potter.” She turned and muttered “treacle tart” to the door.  
“Hey, hey, I was joking” James reassured her. “Although I do look pretty dashing in the kit” he added out of habit.  
Lily grinned. “I'm sure you do… to some people.” She realised how late it was getting. “I wish we could talk more, but it's been a long day. I don't want any late starts this year. 'Night, Potter.”  
“'Night, Evans.” James said quietly behind her.

It was as she settled into bed (only wearing underwear - she was shattered!) that she thought about what she’d said to him. Did she really mean that she wished they could talk for longer, or was she just saying it...? It was true. Lily knew it was. When had she ever wanted a conversation with Potter to continue? Well, now, apparently. Lily slipped into slightly confused unconsciousness. She dreamed of a certain Head Boy taking her to the World Cup wearing a rather tight fitting quidditch uniform - and if someone had walked in, they would've seen her smiling in her sleep.


End file.
